Fence-post.



No. 696,520. Patented Apr. I, I902.

R. T. VAN VALKENBURG. FENCE POST.

(Application filed Nov. 15, 1901.

(No Model.)

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RANDALL T. VAN VALKENBUR-G, OF LAPORT t, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONEIIALF TO \VILLIAM E. CRIOIITON, OF LAIORTE, INDIANA.

FENCE POST.

QEEQHYTOATXGN forming part of Letters Patent No, 696,520, dated April 1, 1902. Application filed November 15, 1901. Serial No. 82,451- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it nut concern.-

Be it known that I, RANDALL T. VAN VAL- KENBURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laporte, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Myinvention relates to new and useful-improvements in corner or anchor posts for wire fences, and is an improvement on my application bearing Serial No. 75,829; and its objects are to dispense with the wire-winding reels in the diagonal braces and clamp the fence-wires between the diagonal brace-bars, which construction is more applicable to woven-wire fences having a number of horizontal stringers; also, to provide an additional base portion with its inclined clamping-bars at right angles to the post, to enable the two ends of a wire fence to be supported at a corner by the same post.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accom panying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fence and applied to my improved corner-post. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the-post and its base portions. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the inclined braceclamps. Fig.5 is a perspective view ofa modified form of the post and its base portion.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the fence-post, formed of an L-shaped rod provided with a horizontal base portion B, also L-shaped in cross-section, the said base portion being adapted to rest upon the surfacev of the ground or to be secured to any suitable foundation.

O designates inclined braces which are bolted at one end to the top of the post A and at the other end to the horizontal base portion 13, and these bracing portions also serve as clamps for the wire fence, being more especially adapted for clamping woven wire fences in which there are a great number of horizontal stringers. To insure a firm clamping action, one of the inclined brace-timbers is provided with a longitudinal rib c, and the other brace-timber is provided on its contiguous face with alongitudinal groove 0. The rib and groove are in aliuement and serve to clamp the wires of the fence when the two brace-beams are screwed together,- and thus the wire-winding reels usually employed are dispensed with.

Near the center of the inclined brace-beams is secured a horizontal brace-rod D, which engages at its other end with the upright post A and serves to relieve the upright post of the strain caused by the pulling of the wires upon the diagonal brace-beams C, but distributes the strain upon the entire structure. Its end is secured to the diagonalbrace-beain by means of a bolt E, which also serves as a means for clamping the-two braces O 0 upon the wire fence.

In the angle formed by the intersection of the horizontal brace-rod and the upright post is fitted a block d, which serves as a bearing for the nut or head cl ofan anchoring'rod F, the said anchoring-rod extending downwardly and having an anchor-plate f embedded in the earth. The ends of the inclined bracerods and the horizontal portion are anchored to the earth by means of the anchor-rods G, also having an anchor-plate g embedded in the earth, having nuts g at the top. The nuts d for the anchoring-rod F and the nuts g for the anchoring-rod g provide means for adjusting the tension on the said rods.

The corner-post may be provided with an additional horizontal base portion B, extended at right angles to the upright and at right angles to the other base portion, the whole being made of one piece, as shown in Fig. 3, which illustrates a perspective view of the post and its base portions. When so employed, the end of the next section of wire fencing will be engaged by similar inclined brace-beams connecting the top of the post and the end of the horizontal base portion, and it is desirable in this construction to have the anchoring-rod F more perpendicular, so as to receive the strain from both portions of the fence. It will also be obvious that my device may be employed for joining two intersecting Wires, in which case the post will not be a corner-post, but the horizontal base portions will extend on each side of the horizontal base portions formed of a single piece of metal, inclined brace-beams connecting the'post and the base portion, a longitudinal rib formed on the face of one of said inclined braces, and an alining longitudinal groove formed on the contiguousface ofthe other to clamp the Wire fence between the two inclined braces, and anchoring devices, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

I RANDALL '1. VAN VALKENBURG. Witnesses:

GEORGE OLTSOH, MAGGIE OLTsoH. 

